The Penn's Grove record., 1887-05-21
PYRAMUS AND THISBY.

Papa" SAID InlSDy, only daughter
of Jonathan Smith, to her father, who
sat in his library one Sunday morning
engaged in reading, ''why do you have
that awful high fence between u yard
and Browns? What tastel a hedge on
one side and a board fence on the otherl
o, papa, do have the horrid thing re-
moved.n
Jonathan Smith made no reply to his
daughters remark; he hunched his
chair, however, and frightened his hold
upon the paper he was reading-sigms OF
Impotence ever-but otherwise remain
ed needless.
"Papa,n continued Thisby after d
pause, ''do you hear me speaking to
you?"
Jonathan Smith lowered his paper so
that he could see his daughters pretty
face ove it, and glared at her like a
country justice at an innocent unfortu-
nate, and the tone of his voice as he
addressed her was in the MOTTO be-ques-
toned key.
s'Never mention Pyramus Brown to
me,n he said. "Brown and 1 are out:
I have shut him out, and out he shall
remain. Brownl" he continued, rising
and flourishing his paper on high; ''the
man who called me an old Presbyterian
hypocrite-in public too. Think of It'll
calling a man of my s~tanding-a bank
director, a deacon OF the church of God,
and only just turned siXty-tive-Such q
name as that. All, Thisby, there are
wrongs the spirit of Christian meekness
and forbearance will not endure. And
yet," he continued, resuming his seat
with the air of one who has been falsely
accused, and is now triumphantly vim
dictated; 81 will forgive him the injury;
1t would be unchristian to harbor it,
and God knows / am not that. But L
want him away, removed out of my
sight; l do not wish to look on him nor
his"
"What paper are you reading, papa?''
said Thisby in an arched tone of inqui-
ry.
''The Christidn Observer, my dear"
Sand are those Christian observa-
tions you have just made?" she asked,
elevating her eyebrows and canting her
head saucily.
"Whatl" exclaimed her father, in
establishment. "Hum!'' said Thisby,
as she turned on her heel and quietly
left the room, followed by her fathers
look of blank amaZement.
''This is a pretty state of affairs, "
said Jonathan Smith to himself. MY
own daughter catechising my Christi
anity. 1t was never questioned before,
never, except by Brown, and he shall
pay dearly for it." He remained for
some time m~editating as how he best
might pour Goals upon the head of the
foul calumniator inhabiting the territory
beyond the fence. His thoughts resulted
to no purposes; so to relieve his mind he
resumed his paper. "But | say unto
you, love your enemies was the first
sentence his eyes fell upon. why"
he unused, sis that divine exortation
thrust before me at this particular mo-
ment? Am I wrong?"
Left with the inquiring spirit of his
own conscience-the unseen angel that
speaks in faintest whisper to one alone,
yet heard above the cavilings OF selfish
ness and fate, that thereby virtue may
not wholly die-it questioned him:
care you right?'' and he answered:
Sam l wrong? Mother calls me a fool
ish man; Thisby 'hums' In my face, and
Brown, well, the matter doesn't seem to
trouble Brown much. l VIII reflect;
perhaps Pm wrong and there may be a
better way"
Thisby on leaving her father went
where her curiosity led her. And what
was now more curious to her than the
barrier which had been erected between
her fathers grounds and those of neigh
Dor Brown'sp 1t was the first object that
attracted her attention on her arrival
the day before after q p~rotracted alb
sence at school; it had furnished the
subject of her first conversation with
her father IN the day following; and
having learned its history, it became
the present object of her curiosity.
There it was a long, high, solid struc-
ture, running from the street, back, the
whole length of the spacious grounds.
1t was painted white; and in Thisby's
eyes, looked the perSoniication of dis
cord, a neighborhood specter Of unchris-
tan hate. She could see but the even,
solid surface, without cap or ornament
of any kind, and the supports whatever
they were, must have been attached to
the opposite side. She walked along
beside il, looking first up, then down,
searching unconsciously for some varia-
ton in the monotony of continued same
ness.
What was the spot she saw before
her, and just below the level of her
head? 1t was no spot at all, but a hole
where a knot had strunk and fallen out,
as she discovered when she reached it.
She paused and looked about; then
paused again to revel for one moment
in the pleasure of an anticipation; for
she had resolved as quick as fash to
look through and see what premises the
lawful" Brown inhabited. Expecta-
TONS happy smile lit and played upon
her countenance as she leaned forward
and peered through.
First a lawn a very well kept one, too,
met her gaze then a hedge; then a tree.